Tag Archives: writing strong female characters

Anyone working on revision to a novel right now might relate to the kind of weeks I’ve had recently, when my mantra seems to be “less talk, more do.” There comes a point in editing when you don’t want to talk about it, you just want to get it done.

So I’ll offer few words of greeting, but simply get this posted.

I hope you’ll enjoy this week’s Friday Links for Writers — which range from writers sharing concrete steps of their process or advice on dialogue, to a checklist for reviewing female characters, to a podcast from the NEA. As always, let me know what resounds with you, what you wish you could find more information about, or share your own links in the comments. Have a great writing week!

Thanks to Roz Morrisfor sharing this great article by Monica Clark, which shares powerful advice on writing dialogue as inspired by author Walter Mosley. (Those 3 names in one sentence reveals how much we all trade and share together, doesn’t it? I love that about writers.) Monica points out the weight well-written or poorly-written dialogue can have in a reader (or agent’s) first glance at your book, while Walter lists the multiple tasks any line of dialogue should accomplish. (Want more on dialogue? Check the first link in Friday Links for Writers 7.11.14)

This is a guest post by Linda Mullaly Huntas part of the month-long Teachers Write program. Those of you who love reading about another writer’s process — especially those who do not use Scrivener* — may really like the way she uses coded cards to organize and edit her novel as it goes through revisions. (*Linda’s method can be done digitally using features in Scrivener.)

Last year, I wrote a post about the need to let characters misbehave (Writing Character: Say the Things We Never Say). In that spirit, I loved this conversation with Claire Messud, via Publishers Weekly, summed up with this quote: “As a writer, I subscribe to Chekhov’s world view: ‘It’s not my job to tell you that horse thieves are bad people. It’s my job to tell you what this horse thief is like.'”

Whether you are wondering about connections with your new agent or still in the aspiring phase, wondering what an agent will do for you, I liked this frank list of realistic expectations from Carly Watters at The Write Life.

A couple Friday Links back (6.20.14), I shared Tasha Robinson’s interesting discussion of ‘trinity syndrome,’ suggesting that there is an inherent weakness being written into supposedly strong female characters, particularly in film. Today’s link, on the screenwriting site Black Board, turns that lengthy article into 8 checkpoints to assess whether you’ve undermined your female lead. Not a bad tool for rethinking any female characters.

Need a good listen? Find inspiration from Julie Otsukaas she speaks on the National Endowment for the Arts’ podcast, Artworks, about the inspiration for her novel. It’s interesting to hear about her choice in leaving characters unnamed, as she wrote about the isolation caused by Japanese interment. (Or, read the transcript which will be posted soon)

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How is Your Writing Week?

I’ve been sharing here and on Twitter (#SumNovRev) my summer goal of finishing novel revisions. What are your current writing goals? What are your biggest hurdles (mine this week included a 20-hr vacation drive that left me with a crushed monitor on my laptop… ugh!)? What strategies help you get it done? Share your questions, thoughts or links in the comments below!

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No so much a selfie as sign of how bad the glare on the laptop screen can be. c Elissa Field